Once was Mine [Open - Red Sunrise]

She never imagined she would be back here. Never once in her life did she think she would come back after were she had dropped Fang off, but knowing her son was alive, and he was living with that deranged clan made her mad. She couldn't stand it. Fang was hers, and she was going to get him back. The sun was just rising in the sky, lighting up the world in a wonderful red hue. Shadowclan would still be awake, maybe not some of the younger ones, but just enough for her to make an entrance. To call forward the issue at hand, to reclaim what was hers.

Vea leader her two kids through Shadowclan territory, telling them exactly where to step. The memory of the territory rising to her mind as she recognized landmarks here and there. The camp becoming a small spot in her view, but slowly growing as the three cats approached. They would most likely smell the three rogues coming. The calico she-cat stopped just before the entrance, eyeing the guard with her green eyes. "I need to speak with your leader." She didn't know who the leader was at this point in time. She remembered Thornstar, but it had been moons since then. "It's urgent." Her tail behind her held high, to keep her two children behind her silent.

Pea padded alongside Vea to ShadowClan camp. The territory seemed dangerous, but Mom knew how to navigate it well. Maybe she walked on it before to catch prey occasionally, and therefore learned how to get around quickly. Or maybe she was once a part of ShadowClan and left for some reason. That wouldn't make much sense, since they all seemed to be good cats.

Batglow would be mad that she told Mom about his appearance in ShadowClan, of course. But she had to tell Mom. How could he think that she wouldn't do so? Either way, it was all said and done, and Pea trusted that her mom wouldn't do anything bad to ShadowClan. She was a good cat, and Pea was sure of it. Still, the thought of betraying her brother's trust made her feel sick. She had to, though. It was best if it went like this.

Either way, now she was here, with Vea, gazing at the ShadowClan guard. Making sure not to say a word due to her mom's commands, she waited for the ShadowClan guard to take them to the leader of ShadowClan.

Guarding the entrance to ShadowClan’s camp was a responsibility Emberleap was far from comfortable with. However, no good warrior refused an assignment. Besides that, the dawn watch was rarely eventful; the most exciting thing most guards encountered was a straggler or two from some unscheduled patrols. With that hope held close, he’d settled in front of the camp’s thorn tunnel.

It was, of course, too good to be true. A faint scent drifted past his nose like so many others already had, so nondescript he almost missed its unfamiliarity. Almost. Emberleap leaned forward, opening his mouth to better taste the air, just as three shapes came into view. Other cats, he realized. What he could see of their faces was as foreign to him as their scents. As they approached, he rose to meet them. His gaze swept across the trio, searching. Left shoulder, left cheek, right shoulder. All bare.

The oldest of them, a calico she-cat, made her demand. Emberleap, shifting on his mottled, mud-splattered paws, weighed the idea of a scolding from Flintstar (something he could only imagine, having never witnessed it) for turning away friends against the memory of WindClan waking up to claws at their throats. The strangers' request seemed genuine—as if that meant anything coming from a cat foolish enough to trust Asylum. At last, he smiled. “What for? And who might you be, if you don’t mind?” Plenty of ShadowClanners were still awake; maybe he could stall until someone more sensible noticed the arrivals.

Mistyfalcon had stayed up late hunting, and was just nearing camp when the scent of unfamiliar cats made him pause midstep. They were far, far too close to camp. He quickly spotted the two she-cats and trailed them silently, dark form easily hidden and undetectable among the trees as Mistyfalcon kept behind and downwind of them. Emberleap had been on guard duty, and after he spoke up Mistyfalcon slipped out of the shadows, circling the rogues to stand at his clanmates' side. His eyes never left the rogues as he moved, though he was listening for traces of any other cats that might be nearby. It had seemed like it was only the two she-cats, but where there was one (or two, in this case) there were usually more of them.

"You, again." Mistyfalcon's tone was cool as his gaze fixed on the form of the familiar she-cat. Good to know she thought so little of Shadowclan's clearly-marked borders... Or Batglow's wishes. He'd told her to wait at the border if she wanted to talk, and here she was, at the entrance to Shadowclan's camp, with a stranger in tow. That 'Vea' Batglow had mentioned not wanting to be told about that meeting? "Our clanmate made himself clear when we caught you trespassing before." Mistyfalcon couldn't quite hide his disapproval from his tone. He'd never been a diplomat, and if these rogues were looking for trouble, he doubted attempts at diplomacy would work.

Mistyfalcon had come across loners that had been perfectly trustworthy, and others that hadn't been trustworthy at all. Neither she-cat standing in front of him struck him as the trustworthy sort.

That they'd found Shadowclan's camp without drowning themselves in the deep marshes said far more about the two rogues than they were likely willing to divulge themselves. Observant, and they had a purpose, clearly. As to what, Mistyfalcon was unsure. Something to do with Batglow, he thought, but Batglow was a loyal Shadowclan warrior. Whatever these she-cats wanted to speak to Flintstar about, he was sure it would be trouble.

"Why are you here?" Mistyfalcon didn't trust either of these she-cats enough to turn his back on them for even a moment.

Of course it wouldn't ever be simple as that. Vea nearly wanted to growl from all the questions, but she wasn't going to. She needed to get up appearances if she wanted to get inside the camp, especially to get his son back and to speak to whoever the leader was at this point. She brushed off the tom's comments about her daughter, already having been aware of Pea's wanderings. It was usual for her it seemed.

"I'm here to speak to your leader, it seems there have been some mix ups that need to be cleared up." She said, not wanting to give away the full reason as to why she was here yet. That reason was for whatever -star there was inside that camp.

"I can give full details once I can see your leader. Once this is cleared up everything should go back to the way it was, and we will be out of your fur." She told the two, not really speaking directly to either one of them.

Rescue came in the form of Mistyfalcon melting out of the shadows. A hint of gratitude crept into Emberleap’s smile as his denmate joined him in front of the entranceway, and he flicked an ear in greeting before turning his attention back to the strangers. The wariness on Mistyfalcon’s face made him think he was on the right track. That Mistyfalcon recognized one of these cats confirmed it further. Emberleap mentally ran through the names of ShadowClan’s tomcats, from the youngest apprentices to Flintstar himself; there weren’t many, but “our Clanmate” could be any one of them. He couldn't risk asking about it now.

The leading she-cat spoke again, just as vague as before. At least it wasn’t some medical emergency; that explained why the strangers seemed so calm. Some of Emberleap’s uncertainty drained away at that. He shifted a whisker closer to the tunnel’s center. “If it’s just some mix-ups, I’m sure we can discuss them out here.” There were a thousand reasons these cats could be obscuring the truth, many of them harmless. Emberleap himself had arrived at the border moons ago with similar hopes of speaking to ShadowClan’s leadership. He had also laid everything out for them as plainly as he could. This she-cat’s increasingly obvious reluctance to do the same sent alarm bells ringing through his ears. “Could I at least get your names?”

Vea let out a long sigh. Of course these toms weren't going to let her in the camp, but it would be fine if the leader came out here instead. "My name is Vea, and this is my daughter Pea, and my son Berry." She said gesturing to her two kits. "I might be more recognized using my old name Lichenface."

"Now can you please get your leader? I just want to get this resolved so I can go back to my home." This certainly was a matter for the leader, not for two warriors. The calico sat down in her spot her tail curling around her paws, making it clear she wasn't intending to go anywhere until she could speak to the leader.

"I'm here," Flintstar grumbled as he stepped out of his den, having heard the commotion from his nest. His eyes narrowed at the sight of Vea - well recognizing her from her previous name. He had never known her well, simply as a warrior who disappeared one day but he never thought much of it - the world was cruel, there was no reason to truly fret over every cat that never returned to camp. But she was back... With a new name and even with her kits. His gaze swept over all three of them before a huff escaped, sitting down. "...So? Tell me, why have you returned, Vea? You clearly do not wish to be here, so I am wondering what could have brought you into my camp..."

Lichenface was certainly not a name Mistyfalcon recognized, and for that he was inclined to make things difficult for Vea as she was slowly shredding Mistyfalcon's very limited patience for nonsense. She was insistent that she wanted to speak to Flintstar, and Mistyfalcon could not help the feeling that she did not have good intentions. He was sure the suspicion showed on his face, and he didn't care to hide it.

Flintstar's appearance was welcome all the same, and Mistyfalcon flicked one tattered ear in his leader's direction in acknowledgement. Mistyfalcon was no leader and had no aspirations of such, and so he was content to let Flintstar handle things from here. He was much happier to sit back and watch, dark gaze flicking from rogue to rogue as he silently waited for them to reveal their intentions.

Vea finally was happy that the leader showed, though she was a little thrown off by his demeanor. Flintstar huh? Another -star for Shadowclan then. "I appreciate you coming to speak to me, all I'm here for is one of my kits. It seems he wound up here on accident and I just wanted to reclaim him. Fang, my son. Though according to my daughter, he goes by the name Batglow now." The calico shifted in her spot a little. "If you could send him my way, I will collect him then we will be out of your fur." She spoke simply. Eyes holding a serious look, hoping all of this would go smoothly.

Flintstar blinked as 'Vea's' demand, running it through his mind. Batglow... 'Fang' was her son, he had arrived here by an accident and now she wanted him back. Flintstar didn't move for a few heartbeats, before his eyes narrowed at her. "...No. No, I don't think that is happening," he meowed, taking a step forward as he drew up to his full height. "I was there when my sister brought Batglow into our camp as a kit. Tell me, how did her finding him in the deep marshes, alone and sick, read as an accident to you? Mothglow had called for you before she had to take him here so he could recover - if you had cared then, you would have looked harder for your son," he added, eyes narrowing even further even as his voice kept the same tone throughout. "Besides...It is not my place to give your son away - he is capable of his own choices. If Batglow wished to go with you, I would hardly stop him If he wishes to stay, then you will not be able to touch a hair on his pelt." There was another paused as the leader drew back. "But, even as terrible as I am at guessing what other people would do...I suspect he would want nothing to do with you, so I recommend you get out of my camp, Vea, now that your request has been denied - mostly when its clear you do not care for Batglow now or otherwise you would be asking him where he wanted to go."

Batglow had heard something going on outside of the warriors' den, closer to the camp enterance.. Who was here? Did another clan need help or something or did someone come back hurt? A slight anxiety ticked in his chest, not wanting anyone to be hurt. As he stepped closer to the entrance of the camp, he regretted it. Dread filled his chest. That was someone he never wanted to see again.. Why was she here? He crept closer, training to remain unnoticed, and that is when he heard from Flintstar that she wanted him back.. Oh stars no..

Batglow finally stepped into the open, not minding being seen at this point. Flintstar was on his side. The clan was on his side. "You want me back? Now of all times?" The lanky tom growled out, his normally happy and perky demeanor completely gone. His stance showed aggression, his eyes were dark. "No I refuse. Get out of here Vea, or we will chase you out. I will chase you out." His voice was dark as he spoke.

---

Vea wanted to draw her lips back into a snarl. She didn't take the fact that she was being denied kindly. Her son was here, when he shouldn't be. Shadowclan didn't deserve him. With her and where the rest of her family was is where he belonged. Not in this mud hole! She stiffened when Batglow had entered her vision. At first he looked afraid. Good. Then it all changed within seconds.

She expected his words, expected his harshness. He was only doing that because he was here surrounded by protection. Fine, they wanted to do this the hard way then she could do that, but that wouldn't start now. For now, she would respect their wishes. "Fine, I will go since he refused, but I will say this now. Things won't be looking good for any of you in the future." The calico said. "Don't you know what a red sunrise means?" She turned, gave her children a nod, before leading them out of the territory.

Mistyfalcon's eyes narrowed, hackles rising as Vea finally got around to her demands. He'd been right not to trust the rogues, then. They wanted Batglow, as if he wasn't a warrior capable of making his own decisions. As if he hadn't been abandoned and taken in by Shadowclan and lived his life here.

Flintstar was in agreement it seemed, but then Shadowclan's leader had always been a sensible sort and thus it was unsurprising to Mistyfalcon. He hadn't thought that Batglow wanted to go with the rogues at all, but it was reassuring all the same. In the end, it was Batglow's decision and only his decision to make, and Mistyfalcon would stand by his friend. Vea clearly wasn't happy, not that Mistyfalcon cared what she thought. She turned to leave, and Mistyfalcon watched her go. Someone would have to make sure they actually left the territory, he didn't trust the rogues to do so on their own.

"She's not going to leave it alone, is she?" His claws unsheathed, sinking into the dried mud and pine needles beneath his paws. He been tired on the way back from hunting earlier, but any trace of such was gone now.

Flintstar glanced over as Batglow finally stepped into view, confronting his mother with the words that Flintstar had expected - a sound 'no' to returning to her. He gave the warrior a nod, muscles slowly tensing in case Vea didn't take the double refusal well but she relented, leaving them with strange words as her and her kin slipped out of the entrance and into the marsh beyond. The leader relaxed a little, a heavy sigh escaping him as Mistyfalcon broke the silence. "...I concur," he muttered as he turned, jumping onto the Jaggedrock as he glanced over at his Clan. "ShadowClan! For the time being, I do not want any cat leaving the camp by themselves - no matter the reason. Apprentices must be joined with a warrior - no matter how many go out at once. I do not trust this...Vea. She relented for now, but rogues are dangerous. Murkystrike, I want extra patrols to be sent out to check the borders for the next few moonhighs - to see if Vea leaves our territory or not. We will let her leave on her own, unless trouble starts to brew..."

Fangsnap was just returning from the late patrol. His muscles were sore, and the wound on his shoulder even more-so, making each step stiff and uncomfortable. The medicine cat had done what he could to fix it up but such things too time. Unlike when he was out on his own, wounds here seemed to heal quicker and were fixed up well by the tom trained in healing. He supposed that was one of the few perks of being a part of a clan - the reason why he was here.

The gathering at the center of camp caught his attention and he was prepared to shoulder his way roughly through the throng of gathered cats, until Flintstar's voice rose over the crowd. There were strange cats leaving cat as he entered, something he'd noted as unusual. Tail flickering slightly and ears perked, the russet warrior's jaw began to clench. Rogues. He'd missed their reasoning for encroaching on the territory but it did not matter. If something was going to threaten the small semblance of peace he'd found, Fangsnap was determined to tear them to shreds.

"Send me on patrols, Flintstar, I'll make sure they don't return."